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Changing hue of red LED strips to fix ambient colored light problem?

Hello. Working with a theater that has red led strip lighting installed as the emergency lighting when house lighting is off, and realized that it casts a crazy pink light on the screen and that projected film and video are pretty affected. I can't turn them off, is there any kind of filtering that could be taped to outside of strip to temporarily alter the hue (ideally neutralize it), or to at least mitigate the value of the red so the ambient light cast by it doesn't affect the projected film/video as much?

Any advice is most welcome, I understand basic color theory so would know how to create color, and know that red/green/blue create white light, but can't puzzle through how to achieve something with filters (and for now has to be a simple and temporary fix).

LEDs are somewhat narrow spectrum, so anything you do is only going to make it darker, but not change the color considerably, not to the point it is going to fix the issue you have.

If they are brighter than necessary, which is quite possible if it is lighting up the screen, then you can possibly dim them. Without knowing what types of strips they are, it's impossible to offer a solution on how to do that. That would appear to be your best option.

Originally Posted by theater

Hello. Working with a theater that has red led strip lighting installed as the emergency lighting when house lighting is off, and realized that it casts a crazy pink light on the screen and that projected film and video are pretty affected. I can't turn them off, is there any kind of filtering that could be taped to outside of strip to temporarily alter the hue (ideally neutralize it), or to at least mitigate the value of the red so the ambient light cast by it doesn't affect the projected film/video as much?

Any advice is most welcome, I understand basic color theory so would know how to create color, and know that red/green/blue create white light, but can't puzzle through how to achieve something with filters (and for now has to be a simple and temporary fix).

Hello. Working with a theater that has red led strip lighting installed as the emergency lighting

If that lighting, as installed, complies with the pertinent safety standards for emergency lighting, tampering with it almost certainly brings it out of compliance, setting the theatre up for potential liability.

From the description of the light as pink", it almost sounds like what you have is high-CCT white LEDs behind a transparent or translucent red filter, not red LEDs. That might mean it's just whatever was cheapest on Wish or DealExtreme and not anything that complies with any safety standards. Perhaps really it's all just rather decorative and for convenience (so people can go get more popcorn) than genuine emergency lighting.

If that lighting, as installed, complies with the pertinent safety standards for emergency lighting, tampering with it almost certainly brings it out of compliance, setting the theatre up for potential liability.

From the description of the light as pink", it almost sounds like what you have is high-CCT white LEDs behind a transparent or translucent red filter, not red LEDs. That might mean it's just whatever was cheapest on Wish or DealExtreme and not anything that complies with any safety standards. Perhaps really it's all just rather decorative and for convenience (so people can go get more popcorn) than genuine emergency lighting.

Before messing with it, see what the legal implications are.

Too tired to dig out the IES handbook, but going off memory, I think it was 2 lux on the pathway. Strip lighting on its own really does not meet any code that I am aware of in this situation but have not looked at it in detail. It can assist in locating the bullhead of stairs, and to define the edge of the aisle, but unless it throws the light sideways to light the path, it's not going to cut it. Often this is done by lights on the outside edge of seats, but I have my doubts about the compliance of many theatres and I can hazard a guess that few are qualified to inspect to ensure it is done properly.

Is this the only pathway lighting? Is it lighting the actual path or just a marker of where the path is?